The 2011 conference will focus on the role of melatonin receptors as potential therapeutic targets in depression, autism spectrum disorders, drug-induced behavioral sensitization, neurodegenerative diseases, insomnia, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, inflammatory disorders and altered immunity. Over the past 12 years, great advances have been achieved in the molecular and pharmacological actions of melatonin ligands. Furthermore, melatonin ligands acting on MT1 and MT2 receptors have been marketed for the treatment of insomnia, circadian disorders and depression (Rozerem, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, USA;Valdoxan, SERVIER, France, Europe). Other melatonin agonists for treatment of these disorders are currently in development. Our 2008 conference was highly successful at bringing together scientists from around the world working in the melatonin receptor area to present and discuss their new findings;we believe it is again time to bring melatonin receptor experts together to discuss the most recent advances since 2008 in this rapidly expanding field as well as to establish new directions for future research. The main emphasis of the conference will be on identifying and discussing novel therapeutic approaches for a variety of disease states (special emphasis on the CNS) using melatonin receptors as targets. The data presented and discussed will range from the identification of melatonin's physiological role to the structure and function of the receptor proteins and their role as therapeutic targets. This is the only conference that brings together investigators using melatonin receptors as targets for the development of therapeutic agents. Many new and diverse actions of melatonin with potential therapeutic benefits have been discovered since the 2008 conference that are of great interest to biomedical scientists and clinicians. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This conference will bring together, for only the second time, a group of the world's foremost melatonin experts to present and discuss the physiology and pharmacology of melatonin receptors, the actions of melatonin, and new therapeutic melatonin ligands. In the foreseeable future, advances in therapeutic strategies using melatonin ligands will substantially increase as additional new melatonin ligands with efficacy at the level of melatonin receptors reach the market. This will have a significant and unique impact on the treatment and prevention of a wide range of diseases, including insomnia and other sleep disorders, circadian rhythm disturbances, neurological diseases, depression, cancer, immunological disorders, metabolic disorders and obesity, cardiovascular problems, inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders, and osteporosis.